Think your baby is too young to trick or treat? Here are 10 reasons to start costume shopping for your babies

First of all, let’s be real here. Maternity leave is a year full of a lot of monotony. When I was home with my first, I literally spent all my energy planning for the holidays. When my daughter’s first Halloween rolled around, she was just over a month old and was suited up in two different costumes for two different occasions. Sure, I may have gotten the odd side eye glances, but I had lots of great reasons for suiting my baby up.

Your baby doesn’t need candy, but you sure as heck do.
First of all, you have been sacrificing your precious slumber for your darling babe, so they can certainly produce a few gummy smiles to get you some loot. Just as much as you need a steady supply of caffeine, access to a little sugar stash can help get you through those hard days.

Pictures. Pictures. Pictures.
Is there seriously anything as sweet as your little baby dressed up as a flower? Or a teddy bear? Oh my goodness, a little one dressed as a pumpkin! Your children’s future wedding slideshows requires these images. So does my Facebook feed.

You owe it to your neighbours
I’ll admit, there are some pros to staying home and handing out candy on Halloween, but the biggest one is seeing the cute kids on Halloween. You owe it to your neighbours to show off those adorable babies. It will literally make their night.

Let’s face it, you need to get out of the house
How long since you got to really celebrate Halloween? Ever since you started getting turned away from houses for being ‘too old’, you have longed to once again get to hit the streets in search of sugar. Here is your chance. Grab your baby and try to blend into a crowd of children so it seems you are supervising them rather than a creepy add on. Bonus points if your baby is able to hold the bag.

You + your baby = the best couple costume
There is nothing like an amazing couple costume, and it is all the better if your other half is super cute and easy to please. This is called winning Halloween.

Fresh air will help the baby sleep
Free candy aside, getting out for a good walk right before bedtime is always a good idea. It will give your baby a chance to breathe in the crisp fall air right before bed to sleep (hopefully) all night.

The alternative is staying home
Do you really want to spend all night answering the door to give other people’s kids free candy? Leave your husband/wife to answer the door while you enjoy the spooky evening atmosphere. Why not explore the neighbour’s haunted house your baby will be too scared to visit in the years to come?

Your baby won’t be sleeping anyway
With the doorbell ringing constantly your baby isn’t likely to be getting much sleep anyway. Do you really want to spend the night constantly putting your baby back to sleep?

Exercise + free candy = winning
Who doesn’t like an opportunity to get in a little exercise to help lose the baby weight? Of course I am always more tempted to exercise when it likely involves eating a few mini Snickers bars.

Halloween is fun
Dressing your kids up (and yourself) is fun. Staying home ‘because you are a parent’ is lame. One of the best parts of being a parent is getting a free pass to do stuff you enjoyed as a kid: decorating gingerbread houses, visiting Santa, carving pumpkins and going out for Halloween.

So PLNers, what’s your plan this Halloween? Are you heading out with your babes or staying home to hand out candy?